The New York Yankees appeared to be cruising toward a much-needed win Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

With a 3–0 lead after six and a half innings, it looked like a bounce-back victory was within reach. But then came the seventh—and everything unraveled.

Jonathan Loaisiga, expected to be one of Aaron Boone’s late-inning anchors, stepped in and immediately ran into trouble.

A couple of singles, a costly double, and a walk turned a smooth night into a full-blown crisis.

Loaisiga surrendered three earned runs in just one-third of an inning, handing the Reds new life in a game the Yankees had controlled.

His outing ended in frustration, and his ERA ballooned to 4.32—a rough look for a reliever with such high expectations.

The most concerning part? Loaisiga didn’t look like himself, and fans watching knew it. Something felt off from the very first pitch.

Loaisiga Sent Home Sick After Costly Outing

On Wednesday morning, Aaron Boone confirmed suspicions—Loaisiga had been battling an illness and was sent back to the hotel.

“Jonathan Loáisiga is headed back to the team hotel with an illness,” Yankees reporter Greg Joyce posted on X.

While the team doesn’t expect it to lead to a trip to the injured list, the timing couldn’t be worse.

The Yankees’ bullpen has already been stretched thin, and Loaisiga was supposed to be part of the solution, not another problem.

It’s unclear whether the illness played a direct role in his poor outing, but given how uncharacteristic it looked, it’s hard to ignore.

Boone Running Out of Reliable Relief Arms

The situation now leaves Boone in a bind. With Loaisiga out and several arms already taxed, options are dwindling fast.

Mark Leiter Jr. has thrown 55 pitches across the last two games, making him likely unavailable for Wednesday’s finale.

That leaves the Yankees staring down a thin bullpen while trying to avoid a humiliating sweep at the hands of the Reds.

This stretch has exposed just how vulnerable New York’s bullpen can be without its key pieces performing at a high level.

Once a strength, the relief corps has become a daily guessing game—and Boone is running out of names to call.

Max Fried Carries the Weight of a City

Enter Max Fried, the Yankees’ ace and perhaps their last hope to salvage something from this series.

Sporting a sparkling 9–2 record and a 2.05 ERA, Fried has been as dependable as a lighthouse in a storm.

On Wednesday, the Yankees need him to be even more than that. They need him to be perfect—or as close as possible.

With so few trusted bullpen arms, the goal will be seven or eight innings from Fried, maybe more if pitch count allows.

It’s a lot to ask, but if anyone can carry the weight, it’s Fried. His command and poise have been unmatched this year.

He’s the kind of pitcher you’d build a bridge on—strong, steady, and dependable when everything else is falling apart.

Another Gut Punch for a Team Trying to Hang On

For Yankees fans, Loaisiga’s meltdown and subsequent illness feel like yet another gut punch in an increasingly frustrating season.

The team continues to find creative ways to lose games it should win, often unraveling in the most painful moments.

Even when they build a lead or get a strong start, the bullpen has become a roulette wheel—spin and pray.

The good news is that Loaisiga’s illness doesn’t appear serious, and he could be back in the next couple of days.

But the damage is already done—both to Tuesday’s result and the fragile confidence of a reeling bullpen unit.

This is the moment where the Yankees need their veterans to step up, their arms to hold, and their ace to be an ace.

Max Fried has the ball and the burden. The rest of the team, and probably the entire fanbase, is just hoping he’s enough.